5 tips for cold wintherpike

Winter time is predator time. The fish are in top condition and if you want to catch a true trophy specimen, then its in the winter you are gonna put your effort.

1. Find the bait, find the fish. In the winter months the baitfish are shoaling up in big concentrations. If you find a big bawl of baitfish, there is always predators lurking close by.
    
2. Find the baitfish and the pikes in the deeper parts of the lakes. A big, slowly retrieved lure is often what you need to get a bite. I prefer big, slow rolling rubber baits with curlytails.
    
3. Agressive colors - when the water gets really cold, you sometimes need to provoke a strike from the pikes, and here agressive/unnatural colors can make a difference. A classic combination like red/white can do magic in the winter months.
    
4. Dead bait on the bottom - there is no way getting around it, especially If you wanna go all in on catching a really big pike. The waiting time can be long in the cold, but so can the rewards.
    
5. Take care of the fish, especially when its below zero. No matter when you are fishing you of cause take good care of the fish. Remember the right tools, minimize fight time and handling of the fish and avoid keeping it over water as much as possible. When temperaturs drops below zero you take extra good care. Fish eyes are quickly damaged by the cold winter temperaturs.

By Malthe Ryge